


All Cats Are Grey

by angeleledhwen (kallistei), eledhwen (kallistei)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-06-08
Updated: 2003-06-08
Packaged: 2018-02-04 23:15:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1796926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kallistei/pseuds/angeleledhwen, https://archiveofourown.org/users/kallistei/pseuds/eledhwen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Red and Green</p>
            </blockquote>





	All Cats Are Grey

The Great Hall is quiet, and dark apart from the glow of my spell. The little ball of light hovers by my shoulder, and with a gesture I brighten it and send it to illuminate the banners hanging against the back wall. Rich shades, gleams of metallic thread spring into sharp relief, four swathes of colour against the grey stone. It’s still amazing, after nearly a century.

Ravenclaw blue, Hufflepuff yellow. The two women in our little revolutionary group, not-quite complementary. For all their ostensible differences – Rowena’s wit, Helga’s calm thoughtfulness - they are too similar, and it shows. They laugh together easily. They have the same wry sense of humour, buried under one’s icy composure and the other’s caring concern.

Slytherin green and my own Gryffindor red. My childhood says they are festival colours, shining from the Christmas tree in harmony. The memories are not – quite – a lie. They are true complements, our banners – but always with Rowena’s between us to keep the peace. We are too different – and too similar, though we will never admit it – to exist completely easily together.

This is, after all, what we are about. The world is made of contrasts, and complements. Eagle, badger, snake and lion. Air, earth, water, fire. Everything is in symbol here, in front of me. Together we are the whole world. That is, after all, the point.

I hear soft footfalls behind me. Not quite ‘hear’, perhaps, more sense from long familiarity.

“Thinking is supposed to be a Slytherin pursuit, Gryffindor.” A hint of a chuckle in the cool voice, only to be heard by one of us.

“My apologies, Slytherin, for my lapse. I shall have to slay a dragon tomorrow to make up for it. May even have to get singed.”

“Well, that would be an appropriately Gryffindorish act. But you must surely spare a thought for the poor dragon?”

“I thought that was your job, Salazar. Thinking, that is.” I smile, and continue to look up at the banners, no longer really seeing them, waiting for the response I know will come.

“No. Mine is reminding you to be sure and bring me back the teeth. Hungarian Horntail, if you can manage it. I’ve almost run out.”

I turn, my smile widening. We’re almost the same height – I have a bare inch over him, perhaps – so our eyes meet. His so-familiar appearance is suddenly a revelation, in the light of my thoughts. Honey-blond hair, dark eyes in startling contrast to his pale skin. A world of colour in one man, even in the washed-out tones my light creates. My colouring is a near-opposite of his, like so much else about us. People say we look good together. Dark and light made flesh, Rowena says in her more romantic moments.

He looks at me warily. “I know I just got out of bed, but do I really look that shocking?”

“Hm?” I gather my wandering thoughts once more. It’s too late to be contemplating such weighty issues, especially when there are better things I could do.

“I take it you’re ready to come back to bed, then?”

We’ve definitely been living together too long, but I don’t mention it. “More than,” I say, and brush my mouth across his. When we part, he remains silent. Just what I’d hoped. We walk to our rooms, in unconscious step, the bottom of his loose green sleeping robe brushing the hems of my own deep red one.

Red and green, true complements. I smile, and loop my arm around his waist to pull him closer. Perfect.


End file.
